Device for capping pump tubing



May 11, 1937.

F. M. OWEN `DEVICE: FOR CAPPING PUMP TUBING Filed June 28, 1935 BY Il;

ffm?" ATTCRNEY "Patented May 1l, 1937 I UNITED STATESA aoiaz'z DEVICEFoa emma Pour mmc Frank Mrowcn, Oklahoma City, kb., assignor ofAone-half to American Iron and Machine Works Company, Oklahoma City,Okla.

Application June 2s', 1935, serial No. 28.867

a claims.. (culos-2oz) This invention relates to a device for cappingthe pump tubing of an oil or like well and particularly1` to what isknown in oil eld parlance as a sucker rod Christmas tree through whichoil pumped from the w'ell is diverted for ow into a receiving tank. 1

Itis the present practice to assemble a Christmas tree. from standardpipe ttings connected by suitable nipples; for example, a coupling isusually threaded upon the upper end of the pump tubing to mount a nipplewhich, in turn, carries a T-tting having nipples screwed in theverticaland lateral branches thereof to respectively mount a stuiiing box and acheck equipped flow line 'leading to the receiving tank. All of theseconnections are not only expensive but they offer serious leak hazardsand make the total height of the tree excessive.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention toprovide a simple inexpensive structure incorporating both the stufng boxand the check valve in a single unit.

Other important objects of the invention are to provide a more compactstructure, thereby reducing the total height of the assembled tree, and

to provide a connection which facilitates assembly thereof in the wellpumping apparatus.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention as hereinafterpointed out I have provided improved details of structure, the preferredforms of which are illustrated in accompanying drawing wherein:`

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an oil well equipped with a sucker rodChristmas tree embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the Christmas tree" on line 2-2 of1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the tree on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through a modied form of the tree showing adifferent type of packing gland.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

I designates an oil well including a casing 2 having a casing head 3through which is extended a string of pump tubing l leading to thebottom of the well and which connects with a suitable pump (not shown)The pump is actuated through a string of sucker rods which extendthrough the pump tubing and connect with a polish rod 5 that is operablyconnected with a..

reciprocating mechanism such as a pumping jack 9. Capping the upper end`of the tubing 4 is a Christmas tree" l embodying the features of thepresent invention and wherethrough fluid lifted tubing.

by the pump is diverted for ow through a pipe or. lead line 8 extendingto a suitable receiver (not shown) 4 The Christmas tree 1 includes abody member 9 having a cylindrical portion I0 provided 5 with an axialflow passage I I inits lower end and an aligning cylindrical packingchamber I2 at its upper end. The lower end of the body member has anannular enlargement I3 providing sufiicient thickness of material toaccommodate 10 internal threads I4 by which the body member is attachedto the threaded end I5 of the pump The opposite end of the body membercontaining the packing chamber is of larger diameter than the lower .endto form an internal annular shoulder I6 for seating a washer Il that hasan axial opening IB to pass the polish rod 5, which extends upwardlythrough the ilow passage II and packing chamber I2. Supported by thewasher are upper and lower packing rings I8 and 20 that are separated bya spacer 2l including upper and lower flange portions 23 and 24 forrespectively engaging -the packing sections, and an integral cylindricalweb 25 spaced from the polish 25' rod and wall of the packing chamber toform concentric annular lubricant chambers 26 and 21, communicating wiheach other through suitable yopenings 29 formed in web, asclearly shownin Fig. 3. Seated against the upper packing section 30 is a washer 30that is retained in seating relation thereagainst by a packing gland 3lThe packing gland includes a nipple portion 32 slidably engaging withinthe open end of the packing chamber and bearing upon the washer 35 29 tocompress the packing. Formed upon the gland in normally spaced relationwith the upperV end of the body .member are laterally extending ears 33and 34 which align with similar ears 35 and 36, on the body member asshown in Fig. 1 to pass fastening devices lsuch as bolts 31 and 38, fordrawing the packing gland into rm engagement with the washer 29, tocompress the packing into sealing engagement with the polish rod. Y[Formed on the side of the cylindrical portion of the body member is alateral extension 40 having a cylindrical chamber 4I arranged with itsaxis extending at right angles to the axis of the packing chamber toaccommodate a ball check- 42 later described. The outer end of theextension is internally threaded as at I3 for attaching the threaded endM of the lead line 8.

Also formed as an integral part of the body mem.

l and the lateral extension 40is a web 45 having a passageway 46formed'therein and extending upwardly at an angle from the flow passageI'I to communicate through a port 41 with the 5 checkv chamber 4l.Seated over the'port is the ball check 42 which prevents back flow,l offluid from the lead line 8 when the pump is not operating.

In order to provide a guide for the ball check 10 in movement to andfrom engagement with its seat the lateral extension is provided With anopening 48, into which is threaded a plug 49 having depending fingers 50to guidingly engage the ball check and retain it in alignment with itsseat. 'I'he guide fingers are spaced apart as at 5l to provide oWopenings for free outlet of liquid into the lead line 8.`

In orderl to maintain a constant supply of lubricant within the chambersformed by the spacer 2|, the wall portion 52, which divides the packingchamber from the check chamber, is provided with a port or channel 53wherethrough fluid trapped within the check chamber may flow into thelubricant chamber; the port preferably being located at the upperportion of the lubricant chamber to maintain it in completely filledcondition.

By thus supplying lubricant from the lead line 8 the lubricant chamberis maintained full of lubricant regardless of whether the pump is inoperation or not, since there is always a sufcient quantity of liquidtrapped within the check chamber and lead line to supply the needsthereof. The cylindrical body portion of the Christmas tree may beprovided with other auxiliary outlet connections as shown at 54, Fig. 2.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 is substantially identical tothat above described except for the packing gland 55. In this form ofthe invention the packing gland includes a cap 56 having an internallythreaded flange 51 screwed on to the externally threaded end 58 of thebody member. Also engaged by the cap is a depending ring 59 for seatingagainst the upper washer 30. The cap is further provided with ears 6D towhich lever arms 6I are pivotally connected and whereby the cap may bereadily rotated without the necessity of a wrench or the like.

If desired the check valve seat may be provided Witn a reversible insertseating ring 62 which is retained within the port 63 by the guide ngers64 on the cage 65.

In assembling a Christmas tree constructed as described the body memberis sleeved over the upper' end of the polish rod and threaded upon theprojecting end of the tubing. The packing sections and spacer are thenpassed over the polish rod and, pushed within the packing chamber afterwhich the packing gland is. applied and secured by the drawbolts 31 and38 to compress the packing in sealed engagement with the polish rod.

The lead line 8 is then connected to the lateral extension of the bodymember to complete the assembly. Upon operation of the polish rodr oilis lifted within the tubing for flow through the passageway Il, fromwhere it is diverted due to the packing, through the passageway 44, port41 and check. chamber 4l into the lead line 8.

After the pump is operated suiiciently to fill the lead line, thelubricant chamber and packing are kept filled from the check chamber bypassage of the liquid through the port 41, so that the packing is keptin pliable condition to eiectively seal against the polish rod.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the Christmas tree is of compactconstruction and is readily assembled in connection with the well tubingand flow line without the use of nipples or other ttings as now commonlyemployed.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a well tubing and a pipe line, a capping-devicefor the upper end of the well tubing including a body member having alowpassage and a packing chamber aligning with the flow passage, a packingin said chamber, a lateral extension on the body member having a owpassage communicating'with the packing chamber to supply lubricant tosaid packing, said body member having a ow connection between the flowpassage in said body member and rod reciprocable in the well tubing, anda pipe line, a capping device for the upper end of the well tubingincluding a body member having a ow passage communicating with the welltubing and the pipe line, means connecting the body member with the welltubing and with the pipe line, a packing in the body member for sealingthe sucker-rod, check means integrally connected with the body memberfor controlling reverse flow of fluid from the pipe line, and means forsupplying the packing with lubricant from said pipe line.

3. In combination with a well tubing, a sucker rod reciprocable throughthe well tubing, and a pipe line for conveying well fluid from thetubing, a capping device for the upper end of the well tubing includinga body member having a flow passage connected with the tubing and havinga packing chamber, means on the body member for connecting the pipe lineand having communication with the flow passage, and a channel connectingthe flow passage with the packing chamber, a. packing in the packingchamber, and a packing` gland for compressing the packing about thesucker rod.

FRANK M. OWEN.

